Breaker plate fixation device for automotive distributors

ABSTRACT

A breaker plate fixation device comprising a semicircular plate having a straight edge, an arcuate edge having a wing extending therefrom, at least one first opening formed in the plate and a second opening formed in the plate, the first opening being used to secure the plate to the distributor housing and the second opening being used to secure a breaker plate to the fixation plate, there being a cut away area along the straight edge to allow passage of wires with the arcuate edge conforming to the distributor housing. The arcuate edge conforms to the circular interior wall of the distributor housing and the wing extending from the arcuate edge is received in a slot in the distributor housing. Once the fixation plate is secured to the distributor housing and the breaker plate, the fixation plate acts to hold the breaker plate immovable.

llnited States Paten n91 lllusllin 1 Oct. 2, i973 l l BREAKER lPlLATE lFllXATlON DEVICE FOR AUTOMOTlWlE lDllS'lllRlllB UTORS [76] Inventor: Stanley C. lllluslin, 5534 Large St., Philadelphia, Pa.

221 Filed: Aug. 29, 1972 21 Appl. No.: 284,688

Primary Examiner-J. R. Scott Attorney-A. D. Caesar et al.

[57] ABSTRACT A breaker plate fixation device comprising a semicircular plate having a straight edge, an arcuate edge having a wing extending therefrom, at least one first opening formed in the plate and a second opening formed in the plate, the first opening being used to secure the plate to the distributor housing and the second opening being used to secure a breaker plate to the fixation plate, there being a cut away area along the straight edge to allow passage of wires with the arcuate edge conforming to the distributor housing. The arcuate edge conforms to the circular interior wall of the distributor housing and the wing extending from the arcuate edge is received in a slot in the distributor housing. Once the fixation plate is secured to the distributor housing and the breaker plate, the fixation plate acts to hold the breaker plate immovable.

ll Claim, 4 Drawing Figures BREAKER PLATE IFTXATIION lDlEl/llCE FOR AUTOMOTIWIE DISTRIBUTORS This invention relates to a breaker plate fixation device and more particularly to a new device of this class.

It is known to increase the acceleration of an automotive engine by disconnecting the vacuum advance means and replacing the conventional springs and centrifugal weights on the distributor with other springs and centrifugal weights. The aforesaid replacement of springs and centrifugal weights serves to achieve total spark advance in a much shorter time.

With the disconnection of the vacuum advance means the breaker plate no longer has a function, but must be immobilized. This has been accomplished by certain crude techniques, including drilling one or more holes in the breaker plate so that the breaker plate can be attached directly to a fixed wall or the breaker plate has been welded or brazed to a fixed surface. These crude techniques have proved to be time consuming and troublesome.

It is therefore an'object of the present invention to provide a breaker plate fixation device which involves a very simple installation technique.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a breaker plate fixation device of low cost, but which will still prove to be effective.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a breaker plate fixation device which can be installed by a person having little mechanical ability.

The foregoing as well as other objects of the invention are achieved by providing a breaker plate fixation device which includes a semi-circular fixation plate having a straight edge and an arcuate edge having a wing extending therefrom, at least one first opening is formed in the plate and a second opening is formed in the plate, the first opening being used to secure the fixation plate to a distributor housing and the second opening in the fixation plate being used to secure the breaker plate to the fixation plate, there being a cut away area along the straight edge to allow passage of wires with the arcute edge conforming to the distributor housing. The arcuate edge conforms to the circular interior wall of the distributor housing and the wing extending from the arcuate edge is received in a slot in the distributor housing.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the exterior of a distributor including appropriate connections;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the distributor of FIG. l with certain portions of the housing cut away to reveal internal parts;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the lines 3-3 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a three dimensional view showing the breaker plate fixation device of the present invention.

Referring now in greater detail to the various figures of the drawing wherein like reference characters refer to like parts, there is generally shown at in FIGS. 3 and 4 a breaker plate fixation device embodying the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, the device 10 has been installed in place within distributor 12 that is of well known construction as exemplified by the distributor structure of U. S. Pat. No. 2,769,047. As such, the distributor 12 includes a base plate 13 extending from a bearing member in which the distributor shaft 114 is journaled.

The distributor 12 further includes a breaker plate 16. A cam is positioned adjacent the upper end of the distributor shaft 14, and this cam carries a centrifugal weight support plate (not shown) thathas a central opening to permit the passage of the distributor shaft 14. A wing-shaped plate (not shown) is carried at the upper end of the distributor shaft 14 with the wingshaped plate being fixedly mounted on the distributor shaft 14; The centrifugal support plate carries centrifugal weights (not shown) that are pivotally mounted thereon and attached by means of springs (not shown) adjacent their outer extremities.

As the distributor shaft 14 rotates, it drives the wingshaped plate, the centrifugal weight support plate and the cam that is positioned adjacent the upper end of the distributor shaft.

Thus, as the speed increases the centrifugal weights are thrown outwardly for adjusting the cam advance with respect to distributor shaft in order to advance the timing automatically in response to the speed of the engine through a predetermined range.

In many engines the breaker plate is rotated at most speeds .by a vacuum advance mechanism acting through hose connection 18. At higher speeds the centrifugal mechanism takes over and controls further advance of timing.

It is a practice to disconnect the vacuum advance mechanism and to change the centrifugal weight and springs such that the timing advance is completely controlled by the action of the centrifugal weights in response to the rotational speed of the distributor shaft 14. In such a case the breaker plate 16 has no function and must be fixed. The fixation device Ill of the present invention. serves to fix the breaker plate 16 as will be seen from a consideration of the device 10.

As shown in FIG. 4, the device 10 comprises a semicircular plate having a straight edge 21), an arcuate edge 22 having a wing 23 extending therefrom. As can be seen in FIG. 3 the arcuate edge 22 conforms to the circular interior wall 25 of the distributor housing 12 and the wing 23 extending from the arcuate edge 22 is received in a slot 27 in the distributor housing.

A pair of openings 24 and 26 are formed in the plate 10 for attachment to the distributor housing 12. Another opening 28 is also formed in the plate somewhat interposed between openings 24 and 26. Opening 28 is used to attach the plate 10 to the breaker plate 16.

A cut away area 30 of somewhat semicircular configuration is formed in the straight edge 20 of plate 10 to allow the passage of electrical wires therethrough.

It will be seen that the plate 10 is installed in place by simply running attachment screws'through the openings 24 and 26 in the plate 10 to connect same to the distributor housing 12. This is followed by running yet another screw through the opening 28 in the plate 10 for attaching the plate to the breaker plate 16. Once this is done, the breaker plate 16 is fixed because the fixation plate 10 is secured to both the immovable distributor housing and to the breaker plate.

Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully illustrate my invention that others may, by applying current or future knowledge, readily adapt the same for use under various conditions of service.

What is claimed as the invention is:

1. In an automotive distributor including wires, a housing having a circular interior wall and a breaker plate, the improvement comprising a breaker plate fixation device comprising a flat semi-circular fixation plate having a straight edge and an arcuate edge and an extension wing extending from said arcuate edge, first and second openings formed in the fixation plate, the first opening being used to secure the plate to the distributor housing and the second opening being used to secure the plate to the breaker plate, there being a cutplate to hold the breaker plate immovable 

1. In an automotive distRibutor including wires, a housing having a circular interior wall and a breaker plate, the improvement comprising a breaker plate fixation device comprising a flat semi-circular fixation plate having a straight edge and an arcuate edge and an extension wing extending from said arcuate edge, first and second openings formed in the fixation plate, the first opening being used to secure the plate to the distributor housing and the second opening being used to secure the plate to the breaker plate, there being a cut-away along the straight edge of said fixation plate to allow passage of distributor wires therethrough, with the arcuate edge of said plate conforming to the shape of said circular interior wall of the distributor housing and with the extension wing being received in a slot in the distributor housing, whereby the fixation plate is secured to both the distributor housing and the breaker plate to hold the breaker plate immovable. 